Chapter 51 Long Distance Relation

Santichai was at home alone, and his back has gotten better, so he told the housekeeper not to come every day. He is back to his normal life for the first time since undergoing spine surgery two months ago. Santichai knew that since KK went to South Korea for a company seminar, he would be home alone for the next two months. Just as he was lying on the bed looking at his phone, he suddenly received a text message from an unfamiliar number. He was afraid that the unknown number might be Asnee's, so he decided to ignore it. After the third message, he picked up his phone and read the message.

Santichai looked at his text message and he read, "Pi, I know you might ignore me, but I'm the student who sat behind you in our accounting class. My name is Pam."

Santichai texted back, "How did you know my number?"

Pamela texted, "I'm sorry to bother you so late. I'll talk to you in person at school tomorrow. Bye bye."

Santichai didn't think much about it. He hung up, but then his phone rang, and he picked it up quickly. Santichai said, "KK..."

KK said, "Santichai, are you at my house or yours?"

Santichai chuckled and said, "I'm at your house now, I don't know when I'll go back." He paused for a moment. "KK, Wan and Kulap will be leaving my home soon. Wan told me she found an apartment closer to school and work. Wan told me she didn't want to disturb me anymore. She also said she feels wrong living in my apartment."

KK said, "Then are you planning to go back to your house?"

Santichai said, "I think so."

KK said, "Why don't you tell her she can stay there because you're still with me. Tell her I need you to be with me, and if you say that, she probably won't feel too bad."

Santichai asked, "Don't you want me to go back to my apartment?"

KK said, "No I would prefer if you stayed with me." KK paused for a moment. "What are you doing now?"

Santichai said, "I'm about to cook something, how about you? What are you doing now?"

KK said, "I'm soaking in the bathtub, naked."

Santichai smiled and said, "You don't need to tell me the details."

"We're all grownups now, so there's no need to be shy," KK said, lowering his voice. "I've memorized every inch of your body from head to toe. I know exactly where your moles are."

Santichai said, "Are you finished?"

KK said, "Not quiet."

Santichai quickly changed the subject and stopped listening to KK's nonsense. He asked, "When are you coming back?"

KK asked, "Why did you suddenly change the subject?"

Santichai said, "You are the one who suddenly changed the subject, when will you come back?"

KK asked, "Are you going to pick me up at the airport?"

Santichai said, "If you want."

KK smiled and said, "I really want it." He paused for a moment. "I'll hang up first, I'm going to take a shower."

Santichai asked, "Did you just say that you are bathing naked now?"

KK chuckled, "I'm naked but haven't jumped into the shower yet."

Santichai said, "Alright, go take a shower. Goodnight."

KK said, "Bye."

The next morning, Santichai went to class as usual. He is no longer a teenager who wants to enjoy his college life, because he experienced it once. He is not involved in any sport or club. He concentrates solely on his accounting. A student sat in front of him as he flipped through his books.

The female student smiled and said, "Pi, I'm Dara, do you want to join the drama club? You are good-looking and handsome... You are so suitable to be the main character. Please join us."

Santichai looked at Dara and said, "I'm sorry, my acting skills are not good, you can find someone else."

Dara asked, "Why? Please, I can't find the right person."

Santichai looked around and saw many young male students walking around, with more credibility than him. "There are a lot of male students here who have more potential than me," he said.

"Ai Chai!"

Santichai looked over and he saw Coach Somchai smiling down at him. He quickly stood up and greeted, "Coach."

Coach Somchai asked, "When everyone graduates, you finally decide to go back to school? You left without notifying me."

Santichai said, "I didn't have money to continue?"

Coach Somchai asked, "How about now?"

"The company I work for sent me back to study," Santichai said.

Coach Somchai smiled, "That's good." He shook his head. "Our problem here is that you went to the wrong college."

Santichai said, "It's not my choice, it's up to the company who sponsors the scholarship."

Coach Somchai, "Very true. Rich people can move mountains." He smiled. "Oh, by the way, there will be a game between your new university and your old university in two weeks, come on... I invited you, and I also invited many old players."

Santichai said, "I will consider it."

Coach Somchai said, "You must come." He looked at his watch. "Shoot, I have to pick up the rest of the team." He rushed out.

Dara stood up and looked down at Santichai. She said, "Are you sure this time, you can afford the tuition? Pi...wait."

Santichai picked up his books and walked away.

Throughout that week, Dara didn't bother Santichai anymore, and Santichai didn't care because he only had one task, and that was to complete the course that HappyCare Clinic had chosen for him. At lunchtime, a female student puts a sandwich on Santichai's desk. She smiled at Santichai and walked away.

Pam walked up to Santichai and asked, "Pi, let's go to lunch together."

Pim added, "Nah... we asked you many times, but you always turned us down."

Santichai said, "I brought my own lunch."

Pim said, "Then sit next to us."

Santichai sits at the same table as Pamela and Pim. They also brought a plate of food for Santichai. Pam smiled and said, "I don't know what you like."

Santichai looked at Pamela and Pim and asked, "Why is everyone staring at me today?"

Pim, "You didn't know?"

Santichai asked, "Know what?"

Pamela, "Pim..." She shook her head.

Santichai, "What?"

Pim pulls out her phone and shows Santichai the university blog. The title of the blog was "Help Support Our Classmates". Santichai saw his ID photo on the home page. He asked, "What is this all about?"

Pamela asked, "You don't have the school chat group?"

Santichai said, "No."

Pamela said, "No wonder you don't know. The person who created this page said you dropped out of college many years ago because you couldn't afford the tuition, but your current employer sent you here to study."

Santichai said, "Yes, but I don't need the free lunch for the other students, I can afford it myself." Santichai was about to continue his words when the phone rang. He looked at it, it was Decha. "Sorry." He picked up his food container and left.

Pim looked at Pamela and said, "Are we sure he's poor? If he's so poor, how can he afford the latest iPhone version?"

Santichai picked up the call and said, "Frank."

Decha said, "Ai Chai, when did you go back to college?"

Santichai said, "Recently, the company I work for sent me to continue my studies. How do you know?"

Decha, "Never mind that part. That's not why I called. I wanted to tell you that if you need anything like housing and personal expenses then you can let me know. Why did you post that blog?"

Santichai said, "Frank, do you really believe I posted that blog? How did you know about this blog, you're not a student anymore."

Decha chuckled and said, "I kept it to zoom cute girls. Well, if you don't, who's making such a disgusting joke on you?"

Santichai sighed, "Who knows... I don't care anyway."

Decha said, "Hey, did coach Somchai invite you to watch the game in two weeks?"

Santichai said, "He did, and I declined."

Decha said, "You don't want to see Ai Nee?"

Santichai said, "Part of it."

Decha said, "Ai Chai, if you don't want to be with Ai Nee anymore, then you don't have to hide from him. Maybe bring your new boyfriend to the game. If Ai Nee decides to go to the game, he will see you really have move on. Well, if Ai Nee decides not to go, then you can spend a Good Friday night with your boyfriend."

Santichai said, "I'll think about it. Frank, I'm going back to the classroom."

"If you want a ride, please let me know," Decha said.

Santichai said, "Mmm." He hung up.

Later that night, outside KK's bedroom patio, Santichai closed his eyes and listened to the waves crashing in. He listened to the waves and thought about everything that had happened in his life up to this moment. He suddenly remembered that once upon a time, Asnee had promised him that once Asnee could stand up on his own feet, he would buy a seaside house for the two of them. He even drew the outline of his dream house to Asnee, then his phone rang. He looked at it, it was KK. He said, "Hello."

KK said, "Guess what I'm doing?"

"Sit on the patio and enjoy the sea breeze," Santichai said.

KK laughed, "Really? Do you feel relaxed?

Santichai said, "Mmm..."

KK said, "I'm coming home the day after tomorrow."

Santichai said, "Isn't it five weeks?"

KK said, "We are done with the seminar. The last three days are parties, talks and relaxation."

Santichai asked, "Don't want to relax before coming back?"

"I prefer the relaxation of the sea breeze by your side," KK said. He paused for a moment. "Hey, you... have you ever thought about us?"

Santichai said, "Mmm."

KK said, "What do you think?"

"I think we should stick to the original deal," Santichai said.